End Plastic Soup

The Problem

Our oceans, rivers, forests, parks, and streets are inundated with discarded plastics. In the Oceania region alone, uninhabited South Pacific islands, the eastern coasts of Australia, New Zealand's pristine environments, and communities in Timor Leste face mounting plastic pollution. The impacts reach every corner of the ecosystem: entangling and poisoning wildlife, disrupting marine food chains, creating shipping hazards, threatening public health, and undermining the tourism economies that coastal communities depend on.

The Initiative

End Plastic Soup is a global movement started by Rotary Clubs of Amsterdam in 2018 with a bold goal: stop the creation of plastic soup in oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, forests, parks, and streets by 2050. It has since grown to engage Rotarians and community members worldwide, addressing plastic pollution across the full lifecycle of plastic, from production to disposal.

The initiative advocates for transitioning away from disposable culture toward genuine sustainability, working through education, community action, advocacy, and partnership with businesses and governments.

Mel's Role

Mel serves as Regional Director for Oceania, leading the initiative across Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific Islands, and Timor Leste. She is also President of the Rotary Social Impact Network, District 9685, Australia, connecting the environmental mission with the broader Rotary network's capacity for community impact.

Her approach brings together her background in marine ecology with her expertise in social innovation, understanding not just the science of the problem, but the systems thinking and community engagement needed to solve it.